(Photo: TVB screenshot)

Two veterans of the Hong Kong entertainment industry have won the top acting prizes for the first time at the TVB Awards Presentation ceremony on 8 January.

Actor Joel Chan, 46, won Best Actor for his multiple roles in the supernatural drama Barrack O’Karma 1968, The Straits Times reports. He beat the other front runner, Ruco Chan of I’ve Got The Power.

Actress Elena Kong, 51, was a surprise winner after she beat hot favourites Alice Chan and Nina Paw to clinch the Best Actress award for her role in Get On A Flat.

The contemporary housing drama also won Best Drama Series and Best Supporting Actor for Eric Tang.

The awards ceremony took place at TVB City in Tseung Kwan O in Hong Kong’s New Territories.

According to Hong Kong’s Oriental Daily News, the total number of votes received for the awards exceeded 950,000, breaking past records.

The winners are determined by a combination of results from a professional voting committee and the public.